Agusan Sur town’s Gulayan sa Barangay secures nutrition for grassroots communities
By Niña Jonalyn B. Gambe-Diamante
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — A community-driven initiative continues to take root in the barangays of San Francisco, Agusan del Sur, as the Barangay SIGLA (Strengthening Integrated Growth through Livelihood and Agriculture) program advances in its mission to ensure inclusive and sustainable nutrition.
Formerly known as the GRACE (Growing Resilient Agriculture through Community Engagement) Project, launched in August 2025, the initiative has evolved into Barangay SIGLA, maximizing barangay-level agriculture to eradicate malnutrition and open livelihood opportunities for grassroots communities.
On August 20, 2025, participating barangays were capacitated through a Technology Training on Vegetable Production and Seedling Management, led by the Municipal Agriculture Office in partnership with Mike Paragozo, president of the Unified InterBarangay Vegetable Growers Association (UNIINBAVEGA).
The training equipped barangay representatives and community volunteers with essential skills in soil preparation, seedling care, crop selection, pest management, and sustainable gardening practices—ensuring that communities were prepared to establish and sustain their gardens beyond the initial implementation phase.
Barangay SIGLA has since brought a three-fold solution to malnutrition in San Francisco:
· Products of community gardens are distributed to households, encouraging families to consume nutritious food for free.
· Some barangays use their harvests as a source of livelihood, selling fruits and vegetables at lower costs compared to market prices.
· Starting in the second semester of this year, barangay nutrition councils plan to utilize garden produce in cooking meals for supplementary feeding activities led by Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNSs).
As the first line of defense against malnutrition, BNSs implement nutrition laws and programs in their communities with the support of barangay nutrition councils (BNCs) and city/municipal nutrition offices. However, limited resources have often been a challenge in their work. For many, the GRACE project—and now Barangay SIGLA—has been a welcome relief.
“In my tenure as a BNS, there were many instances wherein resources seemed to be a challenge for us, especially with the limited budget. But through the support of our barangay nutrition council and parents, and now, the Barangay SIGLA, our job has become a lot lighter,” said Merly Cedeño, BNS of Barangay Karaos.
Jonalyn Pablo, BNS of Barangay Pisaan, also shared her experience when the GRACE project began. “At first, I found it stressful to start our own community garden as it entailed a lot of work in planting, growing, and maintaining it. But as I saw how each member of the community worked hand-in-hand, and the impact it made in the decreasing malnutrition prevalence in our barangay, I really thought to myself that every inch of land that we toiled was definitely worth it,” she said.
To reinforce sustainability and recognize excellence, the municipality, led by Mayor Grace Carmel Paredes-Bravo, implemented a structured incentive system, evaluating barangays based on productivity, sustainability, environmental sanitation, health integration, innovation, and community participation.
The awarding scheme reflected both recognition and encouragement:
95–100 percent performance: P20,000 each;
90–94 percent performance: P10,000 each;
85–89 percent performance: P5,000 each;
84 percent and below: P3,000 each.
All awardees also received vegetable seeds—symbolizing continuity and reinforcing the project’s long-term vision.
Barangay SIGLA stands as a testament to how collective action, strengthened by training, innovation, and community participation, can transform challenges into opportunities. By linking nutrition, livelihood, and sustainability, the program ensures that every household in San Francisco has a chance to thrive—making inclusive, sustainable nutrition not just a goal, but a reality. (NJGD, PIA Caraga with a report from the Municipal Nutrition Office of San Francisco, ADS)
